This invention relates to electronic fly traps, and more particularly to tabletop electronic fly trap apparatus utilizing visible light to attract flying insects, such as flies, which enter an enclosure, and are entrapped upon a sticky surface as they approach a light source located beneath a disposable sheet having a plurality of apertures therethrough, the disposable sheet having with a sticky adhesive on the upper surface thereon.
Flies breed and feed on filth. Flies spread pathogens that carry many diseases, such as Typhoid fever, Salmonella, dysentery, epidemic diarrhea and intestinal parasites. Each fly carries up to six million bacteria. Flies are attracted by sight, sound and scent to the source of light, vibrations and food. Flies are commonly found in restaurants, hospitals, nursing homes, planes, trains, cruise ships, retail food stores, and food processing facilities, wherever a source of food is found.
There are four principal ways in which files spread pathogens that cause disease.
1. Flies do not have chewing or biting mouth parts. A fly must regurgitate digestive enzymes onto its food. As the enzymes dissolve the food, the fly sucks up the nutrients through its feeding tube. The flies"" mouth parts and enzymes contaminate the food.
2. Flies have setae or hairs all over their body parts. These hairs are involved in the sensory collection of stimuli. The hairs also collect bacteria and other microorganisms. The flies contaminate the surfaces on which they walk, and flies shed these contaminates as they fly. Contaminates from flying insects may remain airborne for hours.
3. Flies frequently evacuate their alimentary canal, leaving fly spots wherever they happen to land. These fly spots are unsightly and unsanitary.
4. Female flies lay eggs in food. The eggs become soft-bodied legless larva, or maggots, which feed on the food. Maggots are unsightly, unsanitary and spoil the food.
Many attempts have been made to eliminate flies in proximity to food and people, with mixed results. Attempts have been made to electrocute flies, in apparatus known generally as xe2x80x9cbug zappersxe2x80x9d. These devices attract flies to a source of light, and electrically charged wires in proximity to the lights serve to electrocute the flies upon contact with the electrically charged wires. It has been found that electrocuted flies tend to explode, sending fly fragments in all directions. Thus, their use in proximity to food or people is not recommended, and these bug zappers are not recommended for use indoors. Field tests have shown that more than ninety percent of the flies killed by bug zappers are male flies. Thus, most female, egg laying flies are not killed by bug zappers.
The use of fly paper for catching flies is also well known. Flies are attracted to the area by sight, sound and/or smell, and become stuck on the fly paper, where they remain glued to the fly paper until the fly paper is removed. The efficiency of fly paper is limited to its size and location. Left in the open, fly paper is messy, unsightly, and difficult to handle without coming in contact with flies stuck on the glued surface.
Previous attempts have been made to attract flies with fluorescent lights, where they become stuck on fly paper located in proximity to the source of light. The fly paper is typically located behind or below the lights. While these devices are improvements on bug zappers and randomly placed fly paper, the light source and surrounding area quickly becomes spotted and contaminated in the presence of flies. Such devices are often difficult to clean and keep in good working order.
Silvandersson, a Swedish Company, has successfully marketed xe2x80x9cthe Windowxe2x80x9d fly trap, prior to 1992. This fly trap comprises a light transmissive sheet having an adhesive adhered to one surface. A backing sheet is removed to expose the adhesive prior to use. The fly trap is placed upon a window surface, and the flies are trapped by the adhesive as they attempt to find a passage-way through the window. Silvandersson""s address is: Silvandersson Miijo AB, Box 56, SE-310 20 Knared.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,974,727 issuing to David Gilbert on Nov. 2, 1999 discloses a decorative flying insect trap using light, with fly paper located below the light.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,950,355 issuing to David Gilbert on Sep. 14, 1999 discloses a flying insect trap having a cardboard strip with adhesive located below the light source.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,651,211 issuing to Harold Regan et al. on Jul. 29, 1997, discloses a wall mounted trap for flies and insects, wherein the light is positioned above a sticky surface mounted on a rotatable cartridge.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,425,197 issuing to Colin Smith on Jun. 20, 1995 discloses a device for trapping insects having a light source which illuminates an adhesive surface which is continuously or intermittently rolled to avoid a build up of trapped insects.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,117,624 issuing to Dennis Phillips on Oct. 3, 1978 discloses an insect trap having a light source having a sticky substance located on a reflective surface positioned behind and below the light source.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,074,457 issuing to Hotoshi Sato et al on Feb. 21, 1978 discloses an insect catcher having a fluorescent lamp and vertically aligned sticky band located below the light source.
Thus, what is needed, is an efficient, attractive electronic fly trap apparatus, which is placed on a suitable horizontal surface, such as a table or a countertop. The apparatus should be easy to maintain and clean. It has an electronic light source. A disposable sheet is provided with a plurality of apertures therethrough. The upper surface of the disposable sheet is substantially covered with a sticky adhesive. The disposable sheet is located above the light source. The plurality of apertures in the disposable sheet allow heat and light to pass therethrough. The plurality of apertures are sized to restrict the passage of flies and most other flying insects. Preferably, the disposable sheet is a light transmissive disposable sheet.
A reflective panel is located beneath the light source to redirect the light through the plurality of apertures in the disposable sheet. Where the disposable sheet is a light transmissive disposable sheet, the light from the light source is also directed through the disposable sheet and the sticky adhesive. A translucent cover having a raised top portion and depending side portions forms a space therebetween. The translucent cover is located above the disposable sheet. The cover may be removable, or secured to the housing. An upwardly curved access aperture provides access to flies and other flying insects into the space provided beneath the cover. The flies are drawn into the space provided by the light emitted through the translucent cover, and by the warmth and light generated by the light source. The disposable sheet is preferably light transmissive. A sticky adhesive is mounted on the upper surface of the disposable sheet. The adhesive surface captures flies, and other flying insects, which land on the adhesive surface as they are drawn towards the source of the light. The cover is either secured to the housing or removable from the housing, and the upwardly curved access aperture is sized to slidably receive the disposable panel therein. The light passing through the plurality of apertures in the disposable sheet also passes through the translucent cover, and through at least one aperture located adjacent to the depending sides of the cover, to attract flying insects into the housing.
Other objectives and advantages of this invention will become apparent from the following description taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings wherein certain example embodiments are set fourth by way of illustration in the accompanying drawings and description provided herein. The various features of novelty, which characterize this invention, are pointed out with particularity in the claims annexed to and forming a part of this disclosure.